Getting its roots in the Italian Alps, FILA was started by two brothers with a focus on quality clothing. When the company began to build steam and enter the sportswear and sneaker industry, though, their first target market was tennis, a sport built on tradition with a specific dress code. Generally, tennis players could be seen in all-white attire, especially their sneakers. FILA, however, decided to challenge this status quo in the ’70s by dropping a line of tennis gear that paid homage to the traditional attire, but with a twist of FILA-inspired colors.
A New Era of FILA
After breaking the mold in tennis, FILA’s red-and-blue logo was officially cemented into the sportswear industry, and a new wave of popularity came in the ’90s through two key factors: hip-hop and basketball. In a lot of ways, the two are intertwined, even to this day, but FILA added some big names like Grant Hill and Chris Webber to their list of sponsorships, cementing the FILA name within the sport. Stars like Hill even got their own shoe, and you can still find the FILA Grant Hill 96 Mid, right here at Foot Locker in its legendary OG colorway.
The hip-hop scene gave FILA a new surge, and ultimately gave basketball shoes a new life on the streets. In the ’90s, big names in hip-hop could be seen donning FILA shoes, as well as pieces from their clothing line. Today, FILA’s timeless logo can be seen on all celebrities, as its long line of top-quality clothing is a staple in streetwear today — pair classic FILA favorites for your own original drip today.
